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Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Chicago, IL -- In an effort to heal a broken community, a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony will be held Tuesday, March 3rd from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the GEO Reentry Service Center, 8007 So. Cottage Grove Avenue in Suite A located in the Chatham community.

The son of the late Rev. Leonard Barr, Emanuel Barr, Outreach and Operations manager for the Center, said the ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. and that the Center is a one-stop shop for men and women who are on parole.

GEO Reentry Services supports the work of the Illinois Department of Corrections Barr said the new office would provide services including job development, resources and reentry skills including resume building, dress for success, education with a full time employment and education coordinator to support the efforts.

“These skills will equip them to be contributing citizens as they reintegrate into the community,” said Barr.

GEO Reentry Services has been in Illinois since 1997 with six offices in Illinois: East St. Louis, Decatur, Rockford, Chicago Heights, West Fulton and now in Chatham.

The opening of the Chatham office, he said, “Is an opportunity to help the community. My father was a community activist who worked with African American churches. That’s my DNA. The work we do serves to create a better outcome for these returning citizens as well as public safety on the South Side of Chicago.”

“Having the ability to offer services that contribute to the healing of the community is redemptive work particularly in under served communities,” said Barr. “Reducing recidivism is the goal of our work which we hope will change the landscape of incarceration and offer safer and healthier communities.”

Monday, March 2, 2015

Received this e-mail on Sunday. Hopefully there is some interest in attending this meeting:

Bennett Elementary Parent Advisory Council is sending an invitation to the Roseland community organizer to join our first meeting on March 6, 2015 at 6pm. As the new chairwoman, I will like to provide our parents with the best support from Bennett P.A.C, 9th Ward Alderman, and community organizers of Roseland Heights.

Saturday, February 28, 2015

[VIDEO] On Thursday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel appeared on Chicago Tonight to discuss being in a mayoral runoff. Especially as noted this is the first mayor runoff since the city started with non-partisan mayoral elections in 1999.

On a personal note (from JP): I am sorry I haven't had the opportunity to visit yet. I do not want to see any further businesses close, especially nice sit-down restaurants. we need these businesses to thrive if we want to see a positive tunraround.

First I'd like to thank God because through God not some things but all things are possible.

I'd like to thank my lovely wife Dana who from the beginning believed in me and said baby the kids and I are with you and when you have your mate say that they believe in you and your kids say they are proud of you there's no greater feeling so I have already won. So Thank You!

I want to thank my Mother who's had some health challenges lately and I want to thank my (3) three loving sister’s Cheryl, Theresa and Maria they all have been with me every step of the way in this campaign thank you and I love you.

To my mother-in-law Wanda because if it wasn't for her introducing me to her Beautiful intelligent and bossy daughter Oops did I say that I’m sorry I digress!!!

All kidding aside, God only knows where my life would be right now. Thank you Wanda and I Love you.

I would like to thank all of my family the Garners, Norris, Toles, Wright’s and Jackson Families, thank you, thank you, thank you and I love you guys.

I would like to thank the world’s best and hardest-working campaign staff ever.

To My sister-in-law Kellye who was my office manager and logistics and ground support director, Kellye we could not have done this without you I love you, I love you, I love you. Thank you

To Isaiah who handled his Street Team like a conductor directing a symphony I want to thank you man and your team.

To Marie who handled our Face book and Twitter our graphics sometimes office support she was a true "go to girl" in this campaign who unselfishly just did whatever you asked. Thank you.

To Latonia, my treasurer who kept me on the straight and narrow on the finances! Thank you.

To Charlotte who handles our research getting in and doing whatever you asked of her. Dana and I have said we've got to figure out a way to claim her on our taxes she spent so much time at our house. Thank You Charlotte!

To Q Lacey, who had me looking good out there on the campaign trail from my ties to my socks and to Rhonda and her husband Clayton this couple they are some praying people and I don't know what I would've done without their support and their prayers thank you

To my guys the Garner Safety foot and bicycle patrol! I can't say enough about these men putting themselves on the line to protect the 6th Ward residents and me. Some days it got a little hairy out there. These guys were right there patrolling the neighborhood's patrolling the bus stops and train stops just being strong African-American man believing in a cause!

Andre, DeBo and Ernest and I want to thank you.

My biggest thank you goes to the 6th Ward residents from the coffee sips to the beautification neighborhood makeovers to movie night and Bingo with the seniors to the festivals to the meetings to speaking to congregations at the churches throughout the 6th Ward and to the the knocking on doors!

I just want to say thank you for receiving me and listening to my platform and my message.

Education, Jobs, and Safety!

I will continue to fight for this!

I want to thank every person who lived in the ward or who didn't live in the ward who provided support for this campaign from monetary, volunteering, phone banking, babysitting to making late night food runs!

Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart

If I have forgotten anyone because everyone has played a part in this campaign please blame it on my head and do not blame it on my heart because I am appreciative to everyone who helped in this campaign I just want to say thank you.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

It took me a while to come to this conclusion but I've finally decided that there should be an election school board in Chicago. Not saying that this is the best solution for our schools in Chicago, but it's an idea that should be considered.

The only caveat that I've considered is that there must be a hybrid board where the people can elect members and the mayor can appoint members. This has always been my thought however the Chicago Sun-Times solidified this much further in an editorial.

This Tribune editorial makes further points about the various points of school boards whether hybrid, elected or totally appointed. To be sure, I have little problem with the Mayor of Chicago having some form of direct influence on the Chicago Public Schools. This is one reason I support a hybrid board.

I also believe that the most important interest group - the parents need representation to influence the decisions of the Chicago Public Schools. I propose that a majority of the members can be elected to the board of which there are currently seven members. Therefore four members should be elected and three should be appointed. In addition those four elected should be from districts divided up at least four ways throughout the city. The mayor can appoint the people he wants on the school board with their expertise and the people can elect who they want on the board of ed.

Furthermore I recognize how at time public education can be very politicized. Unfortunately the public schools have borne a lot of negative press over the years and this may cause more politicization. I hope that future members of the bord of ed can recognize that the most important thing they have to do is ensure that the youth of the city of Chicago are educated and ready for the world.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Here are the mayoral results according to the wards we generally cover.

The mayor had about 43-42% of our communities' vote (slightly lower than the citywide average). Jesus Garcia and Willie Wilson were very close between 22-27%), with Dock Walls and especially Bob Fioretti (who had an office on 79th street near Calumet) doing relatively poorly. The full results, from which the following are from, are located at http://www.chicagoelections.com/en/wdlevel3.asp?elec_code=10

Today the people of Chicago will elect not only their Aldermen, but also a mayor, clerk and treasurer. In addition in 37 wards there is a referendum on whether or not Chicago should have an elected school board.

Many of you probably early voted already and for those of us who haven't then find your local polling place here. Polls are open from 6 AM to 7 PM today. If you have no idea who's on the ballot before you hit the ballot box go here again, input your information and look for a sample ballot tab.

Or you can call the Chicago Board of Elections at 312.269.7900

I want to also refer to the Sixth Ward's 2015 page for candidates running for Alderman in wards 6, 9 and 21. Hopefully I will be able to post election results here for these candidates.

Please vote today and have a direct effect on the future of our communities for the next four years.

Monday, February 23, 2015

[VIDEO] So if I read the e-mail correctly, this is the last of the Aldertrack interviews with candidates for Alderman in 2015. And current series ended with Ted Williams running in the 9th ward.

Alas Mike Foucher never interviewed any of the many candidates - including the incumbent in the 21st ward. He had interviewed Michael LaFargue & Noonie Ward previously in the 9th. Also Ald. Roderick Sawyer and Richard Wooten in the 6th.

Well I hope you have watched those interviews and will make an informed choice in tomorrow's election. Anything said by Professor Williams would sway your vote for alderman?

[VIDEO] If you haven't had a chance to, you should watch the GCA 6th ward candidate's forum held last month (JP posted on Thursday). I've only gone through at least 15 to 20 minutes of the video and some good answers to very good questions by the candidates.

They talked about the remap which altered the look of the 6th ward after the 2010 census. Most of the candidates seems to be willing to move forward with those new areas that were added to the 6th. It was mentioned the neighborhoods that were lost in the remap (such as West Chesterfield, Roseland Heights) in addition to the institutions such as Chicago State University.

All the same, the bottom line is now that it seems the city is moving forward with the remap the new areas which especially includes a greater area of Englewood how does the new and older areas of the 6th ward progress until it's time for the next remap after the 2020 census.

They talked about Black owned businesses as well. What can we do to get a greater share of Black owned businesses in the 6th ward. In addition to that what types of businesses are we looking for.

So while we mentioned the businesses along 75th Street one of the few areas in Chicago - if not the whole county - with a significant presences of Black owned businesses there are other thoroughfares such as 79th street to utilize as well. Also Wooten made a good point about restaurants we've already lost a few longtime restaurants in the ward and those could be valuable businesses in the future.

And the next point about eateries is that they're the next front in the whole food desert debates. Yeah a lot of focus had been on grocery stores in our community but one way to provide healthy foods in our communities is providing a food establishment that serves them. Who says the only options are fast food or chicken places?

Another good point duing the course of this debate is over what to do with our closed schools. Do we turn them into community centers, senior housing, trade schools or otherwise retain their educational functions? Personally we should turn our closed schools into at least community centers that would involve education functions such as job training or even allowing adults to get their GEDs.

And I'm sure there's more than that to consider in that almost one and a half hour video of the GCA forum.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Over the weekend you may have gotten this in additon to several mailers from Rahm Emanuel's campaign. This is of most interest because of Emanuel's role in the shutdown of CTA's Dan Ryan branch of the Red Line in 2013. You may have also seen a TV ad about this highlighting how he made sure minority contractors worked on the rebuilding of that branch.

Unfortunately these are the only mailers I have received from any of the candidates for mayor and there is a decent number of challengers to Mayor Emanuel this year. Including perennial candidate Dock Walls, Willie Wilson, Bob Fioretti, and Chuy Garcia.
I also wanted to note this article from the Reader about the mayor never leveling with the public on his decision to close mental health clinics around the city.

Finally here's that red line ad from the mayor's campaign actually I never realized he did two of them. This is the one I found on YouTube [VIDEO]

So has anything said my any mayoral candidates including the current Mayor that could sway your vote on Tuesday?

As we enter the final days of the campaign season, candidates are doing whatever t takes to get out their message. The following pro Wooten door hanger was found today. The door hanger is from Chicago 2015 and mentions their slate of endorsed candidates.